There is only one CCM, says Karume

Unguja. Veteran politician and diplomat Ali Karume has cautioned that the ruling CCM is a single national entity and not otherwise.

Speaking to The Citizen, the diplomat, who recently got into trouble with the party’s bigwigs said CCM was a product of TANU (Tanganyika African National Union) and ASP (Afro Shirazi Party), but in 1992, the constitutional amendment that ushered in multiparty politics meant that parties had to bear a national identity.

"That is why I insist that there is no CCM Mainland and CCM Zanzibar; instead, what we have is one party with an administrative structure that has a vice chairman in Zanzibar and another Vice chairman on the mainland, which is acceptable for administrative convenience," he said.

He further added that it was rather puzzling that a vice chairman would accuse a party member and instruct them to be expelled.

"When a member errs, he is supposed to be taken to the relevant authorities, but not by the order of the vice chairman because he does not have that authority," said Mr Karume.

Despite congratulating the way things are run at the national level, he said his fear is of those who want to have another CCM in Zanzibar.

"If they gain strength and want other party matters to be done only in Zanzibar, then the management of the Union Government will be good, but the management of the Zanzibar government will begin to falter because there are people here, and all government activities are not government projects, they are private projects," he said.

He added: Now, I repeat that it is impossible for someone to get leadership through your party, and then you stir things up to give the opposition an advantage to the extent that when they go to political rallies, they gain massive followers due to such blunders.

Karume was summoned by the ethics committee for questioning over statements he made on social media, including that the party had never legally won elections in Zanzibar and publicly criticizing President Hussein Mwinyi's policies of leasing out islets, something he says will never bear fruit.

However, speaking to The Citizen Deputy Secretary General, CCM Zanzibar, Dr Mohammed Said Mohammed 'Dimwa' said that although he has not heard what the diplomat said, the party held an ethics meeting yesterday and Ambassador Karume's conduct was one of the agendas discussed.

"I don't know what he said, but right now we are having an ethical meeting and one of the things we are talking about is about him (Ambassador Karume)," he said.

However, he said that any CCM decision is made in sessions, so anything about the cadre will be ordered by the session.